Wheels in Santa Monica

Wheels is a mural made by artist, Anne Marie Karlsen from ceramic on 2nd Street in downtown Santa Monica, but I didn’t know that when I saw it. The vibrant colours and design caught my eye, framed by the trees and a parked van. More about it from here:

Anne Marie Karlsen created Wheels, an ambitious and vibrant ceramic tile mural that adorns the west-facing wall of Parking Structure 8 on 2nd Street in downtown Santa Monica. The artwork reveals different compositions depending on one’s vantage point and the wheel motif is loosely inspired by the structure of the recently retired Pacific Wheel on the Santa Monica Pier. Upon closer examination, viewers will discover that the abstracted shapes in the circular forms are in fact, photographic images the artist took of the Pacific Wheel in motion. The composition is meant to create the sort of whirling, topsy-turvy effect that one experiences on an amusement ride. The artwork acknowledges a part of Santa Monica history, while simultaneously becoming a bold new design for the future.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/500s

Sunrise by the Brickeen Bridge

On a trip with Blarney Photography Club to the Lakes of Killarney a year ago, we photographed the water as the sun rose over the mountains in the distance.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length144mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/160s

Starry Night Sky

After photographing the National Space Centre on a dark January evening I turned around and spotted this silhouette. Luckily, there wasn’t much of a wind blowing, but we were lucky. A chill wind blew in a few minutes later.


Apertureƒ/2.8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO640
Shutter speed30s

Capturing Sunrise in Killarney

In the middle of February I joined members of Blarney Photography Club for a sunrise photoshoot over the Lakes of Killarney. The scenery was stunning, with early morning light casting a warm orange hue over the still waters of the lake and misty mountains in the distance.

We were over by Brickeen Bridge, a good 30 minute walk from the car park, but worth it for the glow of the sky on the water.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length50mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/640s

Silhouette of the North Side

The steeple of St. Anne’s Church, or Shandon Bells, The North Cathedral, and street lighting on a pole with a bird on it are silhouetted by the setting sun. Steam rises from the Heineken Brewery in the foreground.


Apertureƒ/4.9
CameraSM-G998B
Focal length30.6mm
ISO80
Shutter speed1/100s